Marion County, Florida facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Marion County
County
Marion County Courthouse in Ocala
Seal
Location within the U.S. state of Florida
Florida's location within the U.S.
Country	United States
State	Florida
Founded	March 14, 1844
Named for	Francis Marion
Seat	Ocala
Largest city	Ocala
Area
• Total	1,663 sq mi (4,310 km2)
• Land	1,585 sq mi (4,110 km2)
• Water	78 sq mi (200 km2)  4.7%%
Population  (2020)
• Total	375,908
• Estimate  (2023)	409,959
• Density	237/sq mi (92/km2)
Time zone	UTC−5 (Eastern)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−4 (EDT)
Congressional districts	3rd, 6th

Marion County is a county located in the North Central part of Florida. In 2020, about 375,908 people lived here. The main city and county seat is Ocala. Marion County is also part of the Ocala metropolitan area. A section of the Ocala National Forest is found within the county.

History

Marion County was created on March 14, 1844. It was formed from parts of other counties like Alachua, Mosquito (now Orange), and Hillsborough. Over time, some of Marion County's land was used to create new counties, such as Lake, Sumter, Putnam, and Levy.

The county is named after General Francis Marion from South Carolina. He was a famous "guerrilla fighter" during the American Revolutionary War. This means he led small groups of fighters who used surprise attacks against the enemy. Many early settlers in Marion County came from South Carolina, which is why they likely chose his name. The county's motto is "Kingdom of the Sun." Marion County is also famous for its farms that raise champion race horses, including famous ones like Affirmed and Needles.

Geography

Marion County covers about 1,663 square miles. Most of this area, about 1,585 square miles, is land, and 78 square miles is water. The county has rolling hills and is covered with trees like live oaks, pine, and palm trees.

Marion County is in the middle of Florida. It's considered the southernmost county in North Central Florida and the northernmost county in Central Florida. It's about a two-hour drive from many of Florida's big cities. For example, Orlando is about 75 minutes away, and Tampa is also about 75 minutes away. Jacksonville is roughly a two-hour drive northeast.

The county has three large lakes. Orange Lake is in the north, near Alachua County. Lake Kerr is in the northeast, close to Salt Springs. Lake Weir is the biggest lake and is in the southern part of the county, near Lake County. A small part of Lake George is also in Marion County.

Marion County is inland, meaning it's not directly on the coast. This helps protect it from the worst effects of hurricanes compared to coastal areas. However, strong winds and heavy rain from hurricanes can still affect the county. Tornadoes are also a possible threat in this region. Getting to the Gulf of Mexico (west coast) takes less than an hour, while reaching the Atlantic Ocean (east coast) takes about an hour and a half.

Adjacent counties

• Putnam County, Florida – northeast
• Volusia County, Florida – east
• Lake County, Florida – southeast
• Sumter County, Florida – south
• Citrus County, Florida – southwest
• Levy County, Florida – west
• Alachua County, Florida – northwest

National protected area

• Ocala National Forest (part)

Population Information

Marion County has grown a lot over the years. In 2020, there were 375,908 people living in the county. This included about 145,863 households and 94,676 families.

The population is made up of people from many different backgrounds. In 2020, about 67.5% of people were White (not Hispanic), and about 11.4% were Black or African American (not Hispanic). About 14.9% of the population was Hispanic or Latino.

In 2000, about 24.7% of households had children under 18. The average household had 2.36 people. The median age in the county was 44 years old. This means half the people were younger than 44, and half were older.

Law Enforcement

Law enforcement in Marion County is handled by several agencies. These include the Marion County Sheriff's Office and police departments in cities like Belleview, Dunnellon, and Ocala.

Education

Public education in Marion County is managed by the Marion County School District.

Public school system

The public school system includes:

• 28 elementary schools
• 8 middle schools
• 1 school for grades 4–8
• 1 center for grades K–8
• 10 high schools
• 3 charter schools
• 14 special needs schools

Elementary schools

Middle schools